Tamper-Evident Package Having a Peelable Lid
First Claim
1. A tamper-evident package comprising:
- a container defining a product-containing space surrounded by a side wall and having a flange projecting from an upper edge of the side wall in a direction generally away from the product-containing space, the flange having an upper surface that extends about a circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge;
an area of weakness formed in the flange and extending circumferentially for a minor part of the circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge, the area of weakness being interrupted so as to define a break tab as an area of the flange that is initially unbroken and whose broken or unbroken condition is readily visually discernible; and
a flexible lid sealed to the upper surface of the flange, a portion of the lid being affixed to a detachable region of the flange located outward of the break tab, such that bending and pulling on the detachable region of the flange causes the break tab to be broken and the detachable region to separate from the remainder of the flange, after which peeling of the lid can proceed;
at least that portion of the lid overlying the break tab being sufficiently transparent that the broken or unbroken condition of the break tab can be seen through the lid from an upper side thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tamper-evident package includes a flexible lid sealed to a flange of a container. A localized region of the flange defines a break tab that can be broken to detach a small portion, such as a corner, of the flange from the rest of the flange, in order to begin peeling back the lid to open the package. The lid is affixed to the detachable portion of the flange in a manner effectively preventing the lid from being detached from it. At least that part of the lid overlying the break tab can be sufficiently transparent that the broken or unbroken condition of the break tab can be seen through the lid from an upper side thereof. The break tab thereby serves to indicate whether the lid has been at least partially peeled back.
36 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A tamper-evident package comprising:
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a container defining a product-containing space surrounded by a side wall and having a flange projecting from an upper edge of the side wall in a direction generally away from the product-containing space, the flange having an upper surface that extends about a circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge; an area of weakness formed in the flange and extending circumferentially for a minor part of the circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge, the area of weakness being interrupted so as to define a break tab as an area of the flange that is initially unbroken and whose broken or unbroken condition is readily visually discernible; and a flexible lid sealed to the upper surface of the flange, a portion of the lid being affixed to a detachable region of the flange located outward of the break tab, such that bending and pulling on the detachable region of the flange causes the break tab to be broken and the detachable region to separate from the remainder of the flange, after which peeling of the lid can proceed; at least that portion of the lid overlying the break tab being sufficiently transparent that the broken or unbroken condition of the break tab can be seen through the lid from an upper side thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tamper-evident package comprising:
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a container defining a product-containing space surrounded by a side wall and having a flange projecting from an upper edge of the side wall in a direction generally away from the product-containing space, the flange having an upper surface that extends about a circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge; an area of weakness formed in the flange and extending circumferentially for a minor part of the circumference of the side wall'"'"'s upper edge, the area of weakness being interrupted so as to define a break tab as an area of the flange that is initially unbroken and whose broken or unbroken condition is readily visually discernible; and a flexible lid sealed to the upper surface of the flange, a portion of the lid being affixed to a detachable region of the flange located outward of the break tab, such that bending and pulling on the detachable region of the flange causes the break tab to be broken and the detachable region to separate from the remainder of the flange, after which peeling of the lid can proceed, wherein the lid comprises a multi-layer laminate comprising an upper structure joined to a lower structure, the lower structure being affixed to the flange, a lower score line being formed in the lower structure inward of the break tab, the lower score line delineating a lower opening portion that is separable from the remainder of the lower structure along the lower score line, the lower opening portion being joined to the upper structure such that lifting the upper structure during peeling of the lid causes the lower opening portion to be lifted along with the upper structure so as to create an opening in the lid for access to contents of the package; wherein the lower structure is cut along a line proximate the break tab to allow an adjacent portion of the lower structure to remain attached to the detachable region of the flange after breaking of the break tab. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification